Combined water cooler and support therefor



Oct. 31, 1933. T. c. TUCKER COMBINED WATER COOLER AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Original Filed May 1931 gwwmtoc,

I. C. Tucker:

Patented Oct. 31', 1933 PATENT OFFICE i COMBINED WATER COOLER AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Truman 0. Tucker, Bessemer, Ala.

Application May 6, 1931, Serial No. 535,488 Renewed September 25, 1933 5 Claims. (01. sa -142) This invention relates to automobile accessories or attachments, and especially to a combined water cooler and support therefor.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel and very useful form of portable water cooler and dispenser with a simple and effective means to support it on the back of a seat of an automobile in a convenient and relatively outof-the-way position, whereby auto-tourists can be supplied with cold drinking water without having to stop for the same.

Another object is to provide a device of this kind with a combined wash-bowl and drain-basin to catch the water from the melting ice that surrounds the drinking water compartment, and which also catches water that may drip from the faucet that dispenses the drinking water; thus not only to avoid slopping the interior of the automobile, but also providing water for bathing the hands and faces of the tourists for both comfort and cleanliness.

Another object is to provide a walled supporting platform or front extension of the bowl for holding a tumbler or drinking vessel while dispensing drinking water thereinto, and which is also wide enough to hold a tumbler or cup when inverted for carrying while not being used, but much narrower than the bowl, while the bowl is muchnarrower than the ice-chamber, so the lower part can extend between the knees of a person or of two persons on a seat in rear of the one that supports the device, thus avoiding undue crowding and discomfort.

Another object is to provide a device of the kind described the main body of which is cast or molded of comparatively light-weight plastic material, such as porcelain or the like, which is also highly resistant to heat-conduction, so the ice will melt slowly and will keep the drinking water cool without making it objectionably cold.

Another object is to provide the main body with a concaved wall, that extends from the rear to opposite sides of the bowl so as to strongly secure the cooler and bowl in integral relation to one another and to prevent the water from slopping over the sides of the bowl as the automobile travels and disturbs the water in the bowl; and a further object is to provide a low extension of this wall, such low extension being on said platform and tending to prevent slopping of water from the bowl as the automobile suddenly starts or stops or travels up-hill.

Another object is to provide an effective and comparatively simple supporting bracket to be secured on the inclined back of an automobileseat and is effective to hold the water dispenser in an upright position and in such relation as to eliminate rattling as the automobile travels.

Other objects and important features are pointed out or implied in the following details of description, in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectional view through a device made according to one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, automobile-seat being omitted. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view along the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, in which similar reference characters correspond to similar parts in the several views, the invention is described in detail as follows:

A hollowbody or unit 5 comprises a main body member 6 which may be cast or molded from any proper and preferred material, but preferably of plastic material which is light-weight, and has a high degree of heat-insulating quality, the second element of said unit being a dispensing faucet '7 which may be of any proper and preferred kind and which communicates with the interior of a drinking water compartment 8, through an outlet or opening 8a in the bottom of said compartment. An ice compartment 9 adjoins the compartment 8 and may entirely surround it as shown in Fig. 2. The outer wall of the compartment 9 is preferably higher than the wall of the compartment 8, to permit a cover 10 to extend into the compartment 9 and rest upon the inner wall and outer wall as shown. A gasket 11 of rubber or other cushioning and air-sealing material may be provided to effectively seal the icecompartment, in consequence of the weight of the cover 10 which is preferably formed of plastic heat-insulating material. A hinge and fastener may be provided for the cover 10, but it is deemed unnecessary to show the same in the drawing- A drain opening or outlet 9a is provided in the bottom of the ice chamber, preferably at the rear side of the outer wall, so the water from the melting ice will run down the lower wall 12 which is an extension of the outer wall. A bowl 13 is united with the lower part of the wall 12, and catches the water from the outlet 9a. The wall 12 extends from the rearof the bowl to opposite sides thereof, as shown in Fig. 3, and this wall has a forward extension 14 which is formed on the front part of a shelf or platform or drinking vessel holder 15 which is a forward extension of the bowl 13. In Fig. 1, a tumbler is indicated in broken lines as being seated on the platform 15 and against the stops or lugs 16 which are formed on the platform and which prevent the tumbler from sliding into the bowl while per--v mitting drip-water from the faucet 7. to run into the bowl. The wall it prevents the drip-water from running forward from the platform 15. This wall or extension 14 also combines with the wall 12 for preventing water from slopping out of this water container'onto the occupants or contents of the automobile which carries the device. When the tumbler is in use, on the platform 15, or when inverted on the platform, it prevents the drip of the faucet 7 from splashing, and also helps to prevent the water from slopping out of the bowl. If a large sponge is kept in the bowl 13, this also'helps to prevent slopping oi the water, and such sponge can be used for applying the cool water from the melting ice to the hands and faces of the occupants of the automobile, and can also be used for removing the water from the bowl when it tends to become excessive. Obviously, the bowl may be provided with a draining outlet if desirable, or a siphon may be provided to draw the water from the bowl.

For carrying this device in the vertical position shown, in an automobile, a sheet metal bracket 17, may be screwed or otherwise secured to the back of a seat which is here shown at S. In view of the inclination of seat-backs of automobiles, the bracket is formed with a short upper securing element 18 and a long or wide lower securing element 19 thesesecuring elements supporting the vertical main part 20 of the bracket.

This bracket is apertured at 21, and these apertures are preferably provided with cushioning elements 22 of rubber, felt or other proper material to engage with hooks 23 which may be conveniently formed integrally with the main body member 6, and these hooks preferably embrace the cushions 22 snugly, so as to prevent rattling of this supporting connection when the automobile is in motion. It will be seen that the unit 5 may be removed from the bracket 17 by lifting said unit and moving it. forward. This removability of the unit 5 is important, not only for emptying and cleaning, but also for freeing the automobile from this part of the load which may be not needed except when touring or traveling a considerable distance.

meats? Although I have described this very simple form of my invention specifically, it is not my intention to limit my patent protection to these exact details of construction, arrangement and materials, forthe invention is susceptible of numerous changes within the scope of the inventive ideas as implied and claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a hollow unit including a water-dispensing compartment having an outlet in its bottom, an ice-compartment adioining' the water-dispensing compartment and having a drain-opening inits bottom, a bowl under said drain-opening, and a continuous wall on opposite sides and rear part of the bowl and forming an upward continuation of said bowl extending to the rear and from the bowl to the bottom of said ice-compartment and united therewith, for the purposes specified.

2. The structure defined by claim 1, a shelf united with said bowl and extending forward therefrom for holding a drinking vessel, and said wall extending along the margin of said shelf and being low to provide a space between it and said ice-compartment for providing access to the interior of the bowl.

3. The structure defined by claim 1, and hooks united with the upper and lower parts of the rear side of said hollow body to engage with a support therefor.

4. The structure defined by claim '1, the bowl being considerably narrower than said ice-compartment and having a forwardly extending shelf which is narrower than the bowl and'is considerably above the bottom of the bowl, for the purposes specified.

5. The combination with an inclined seatback; of a bracket of rigid sheet material secured on said seat-back and having a main apertured part, and also having a horizontal relatively short upper securing element and a horizontal relatively long lower securing element cooperating to hold said main apertured part verti-'.

cal on the inclined seat-back; and a water cooling and dispensing device having hooks united therewith and adapted to extend through the apertures of said main part and engage with the latter for supporting it in a vertical position, substantially as shown.

TRUMAN C. "I'UCR. 

